Multiple factors were behind Merck & Co’s rise to ace AstraZeneca and others to become the leading pharma multinational in the world’s second-largest pharma market in 2023, including partnerships and competition and a strong position in the growing HPV vaccine sector.

Dr Patti Gravitt, Deputy Director, Center for Global Health, US National Cancer Institute, in an interview with Scrip, discusses a range of strategies underway and proposed to strengthen cancer control efforts in the Asia Pacific. HPV vaccination and a regional cancer control dashboard are among the areas she highlighted.

COVID-19 has highlighted the need for potent, safe and effective antiviral therapies for infectious diseases and now one well-known Chinese researcher is tackling hepatitis B and D though a homegrown drug discovery approach. He talks to Scrip in this wide-ranging audio interview.  

CEO of Chinese vaccine developer BravoVax shares views with Scrip on pandemic lessons learned and new approaches needed to move forward.